Pretend to be Nice
by Virgo Writer
Summary: There are some things worth fighting for, worth dying for or even risking everything for. Concert tickets? not one of those things and when catch 22 spins out of control Misty is about to learn her lesson too well too late AAMR
1. Innocent Eyes

Summary: There are some things worth fighting for, worth dying for, worth laying it all on the line at the risk of losing everything.  Concert tickets, however, not one of those things and when our two favourite Rockets begin plotting 'against' our hero's Misty is about to learn her lesson too well; too late.  AAMR

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or of it's plots or characters.  I do not own Westlife or any of their music.  I don't anything and it's starting to really get to me.  Please all excuse me while I go cry in the corner.

Ok, with that said.  I'm going through a sort of 'writers block' with 'On Angels Wings' so to kind of take the pressure off (that sometimes help) and give myself something else to focus on (which also sometimes helps) I've decided to start up on this fic.  Now this is another of those was supposed to be a one-shot but I got carried away sort of fics (there are three of them now) so it was originally written as one whole story but me being my anal-retentive, must organise everything self thought that it was so long (almost 12,000 words thank you very much) that I could drag it out into a few chapters.  So I hope you all enjoy this, and for those of you who aren't Westlife fans just insert your own favourite band in place of Westlife to help understand Misty's dilemma but whatever you do, do not tell me or I will be forced to hunt you down and kill you.

And on a lighter note, have fun reading.

Pretend to be nice – Innocent Eyes

"C'mon Misty," Jesse insisted, "it's just a dare.  I mean it's not like I'm making you kiss the twe . . . I mean Ash or something."

"Well part of me wishes you would," Misty replied vehemently.

"Ouch that hurts," Jesse replied.  "I know you want the tickets Misty, I mean it's really the only option you've got."

Misty scowled.

She had been a bit shocked when Jesse had offered her two VIP tickets to the upcoming Westlife concert.  It had been sold out for months now and she had basically given up all hope of getting even one ticket.  

She had tried everything to get one, calling up radio stations, advertising on-line that she wanted a ticket, standing in the blistering cold for five hours straight, but nothing seemed to work then suddenly out of the blue Jesse calls practically giving them away.

But then I did say practically.

"James' company just gave them to us," Jesse had explained.  "I mean what am I going to do with them anyway?  I was never really a fan and James here is still mourning the thievery of Will Young."  (A/N: Aren't we all?)

"So you're just going to give them to me?" Misty had asked her voice beginning to fill with excitement.

"When did I say that?"

Even though her days as a member of the infamous Team Rocket had been long since forgotten since her marriage to her 'partner in crime', James, Jesse was still a Rocket through and through and she always seemed to have something up her sleeve for the great ex-rocket was never short of an ulterior motive.

Misty knew she shouldn't have trusted Jesse's intentions so easily but she herself had always been a little naïve even now at eighteen.

"Do I even want to ask?" Misty had replied worriedly her excitement fading away.

"I just have a little challenge for you to prove you deserve them," Jesse sad innocently.  "I mean these are VIP tickets including a private box seat, backstage passes and entrance to the after party.  You wouldn't want me just giving them to anybody would you?"

Misty sighed.

"What is it?"

"Next time you go into a Pokemon Centre I want you to stop Brock from flirting with Nurse Joy but you're not allowed to hurt him physically," Jesse had replied her eyes glowing happily.

Which just about brings us to where I started.

"And exactly how am I supposed to do this anyway?" Misty asked angrily her mind still considering Jesse's challenge.

"Oh you'll figure it out," Jesse replied cryptically before hanging up the phone.

"Jesse, why did you give away my Westlife tickets?" James whined at his wife.

"Don't worry, I'm doing a good deed," Jesse replied proudly.  "Just giving the twerps a little push in the right direction."

"Then why didn't you just have her kiss Ash?" James asked.  "Why'd you practically set her up with the older twerp?"

"Because you said that she was in love with him," she replied.

"No," James said shaking his head for emphasis.  "I said she was in love with the tall one."

"I thought the older twerp was the tall one," Jesse shrugged.

"When they were younger but now the leader twerp is about six foot something," he explained to her.

"Oh," Jesse replied worriedly.  "You never know, maybe things will work out for the best."

"I hope so."

"So why'd Jesse call?" Ash asked when Misty returned downtrodden from her phone call with Jesse.

He almost brought a smile to her face as she looked into his concerned chocolate brown eyes, but then again it wasn't quite enough right now because she may have just figured out how to complete the challenge.

"She offered me two VIP tickets to Westlife," Misty replied forcing a smile to her face and voice.

"That's great Misty, you've been trying to get those things for ages, so why do you seem so sad about it?" Ash asked.

"Because first I have to prove myself to her that I deserve them and I don't want to do it," Misty sighed.  "On the one hand I get the chance to see my favourite band, maybe even party with them and meet them after the show, but on the other I have to do something I don't want to do and may hurt other people."

"What does your heart say?" Ash asked her hoping it would help her.

"It's not my heart I'm worried about," Misty sighed again.  "That part of me, for once in my life, is making complete sense.  It says no and most of me agrees with it.  It's my mind that's the problem.  It's pulling me both ways.

"I want those tickets so bad," Misty breathed sadly.  "But I don't know if I want them that bad."

It was Ash's turn to sigh.  He had even tried to get those tickets for her, hoping that maybe he would be able to pull a few strings in the right departments with all his master's connections, but it seemed futile.  He wanted her to go; he knew how much she was willing to do to get these tickets.  She had actually told him that if she got these tickets she would never resort to violence ever again.

"I think you should do it," he told her.  "I mean how often are you going to get a chance like this.  Whatever it is can't be that bad.  Knowing Jesse, it's probably just a small part of some master plan she's been cooking up for years."

"Are you sure?" she asked cautiously.

"Have I ever steered you wrong?" he replied confidently.

"Do you really want me to answer that question?"

"Never mind," he sighed knowing he didn't want her too.  She'd probably bring up the whole bike thing all over again which by the way, he still hadn't returned after eight long years of friendship.

"Fine Ash," sighed looking over him with trusting eyes, "I believe you."

He smiled back at her and her heart almost stopped beating.  She couldn't believe how lucky she was just to be a part of his life and she hoped she always would be.

But most of all she hoped that Jesse's fun little challenge wouldn't partake in ruining their perfectly good friendship, something she feared more than anything else at all.

For she knew better than anyone else that there was only one way that this particular task could be done.  They had all seen it and she could remember all the fun she'd had that week, just her and Ash not having to worry about any antics Brock was up to.

It was the first girl to ever take Brock up on his offer and for a whole week he only flirted with her.  Sure it turned out she was only using Brock to get her ex-boyfriend jealous and that once the week was over he came back with his flirting full force, but it was a week to be remembered.

She sighed again as she lay her head in Ash's lap as they both sat on the couch within the Pokemon Centre's lounge.

God, she wanted those tickets.  It really was the chance of the lifetime.  She was given the chance to be in a seat so close she could almost touch them, in a massive arena just like the ones that Ash's Masters battles were held in.  She was given the chance to go backstage, to see what they saw every day and maybe even meet them if they walked her way.  And better still she was given the chance to go to a party, to actually party with the band and have the time of her life.

Damn it, why was life so unfair?

She couldn't believe she had really expected Jesse to hand her the mother of all concert tickets/backstage passes/party invites to the mother of all concerts for nothing.  I suppose deep down she knew that Jesse would have some twisted set-up for her but deep down she really hoped it had meant kissing Ash.

She looked up at him and smiled slightly as his hand ran gently through her copper hair almost subconsciously as if he wasn't even aware he was doing so.

It made her tingle all over with excitement just to be in his arms the way she was.  It seemed to make things just that much more bearable and made her consider that maybe she could do this.

_'God he's beautiful,'_ Misty thought to herself as she studied the perfect form before her.

She knew that there was no fear of him catching her staring, it's not like that would stop her anyway; it hadn't before.  His eyes were staring blankly ahead but she could tell there was something on his mind that he was going over carefully in his head by the ways his brows were furrowed in a thoughtful expression.

She almost didn't want to ask him what was on his mind in the risk that it might ruin the perfection she was admiring and she was perfectly content on doing so.  But then again, this was her best friend; she couldn't just lie there as if she didn't care about what was on his mind without at least asking what was wrong.

So she did.

"What's wrong Ash?" she asked gently almost as if she was afraid talking too loud would break him.

"Huh?" he asked at first before realizing that he had been completely lost in thought.  "Oh don't worry about me Misty, it's nothing."

Misty sighed slightly.  

Of course she was worried about him, he was the only thing she ever did worry about.  She didn't worry about passing her entrance exams or winning battles or even getting tickets to see her favourite band in concert, she always seemed to be more worried about _him doing all these things instead._

But what do you expect.  She was in love with him for god sakes and had been at least since she was eleven, though probably longer.

Sometimes she wondered if that was her sole purpose in life.   As if she were just born to be there standing on the sidelines totally and utterly in love with the boy hoping that one-day he would love her back.

And between you and me, he did.

He was just about as in love with her as she was with him and for some unknown reason everyone but them could see that.  It was almost as if they had willingly convinced themselves to disregard all the signs which others read so easily and to deny all the obvious conclusions.

I guess it was just a way of protecting themselves from rejection and heartache but in truth they were only hurting themselves and one another, dying on the inside as they tried to forget what they really felt.

But now is not the time to go into that.

Misty just didn't know how she was going to be able to do this.  I mean, sure after she was given Ash's approval she did feel a little better about the task but when she thought over the consequences she almost felt sick to her stomach.  She was just so afraid of losing him that she couldn't even begin to imagine how she would go on without him.

She knew what she had to do; it was pulling it all off that worried her.

It wasn't that she didn't think she could do it; she'd done it a thousand times before.  This wouldn't be the first or last time that she'd done basically the exact same thing, only for different reasons.  She flirted with guys with whom she had no interest all the time just to try and get a little extra attention from Ash and make him jealous, even if he wouldn't admit that he was, Brock really wouldn't be any different from them.

Heck, she'd practically perfected the art of flirting.  According to her three loving sisters she had been flirting with Ash from the moment she met him.  She wasn't entirely sure how calling him a moron and letting her annoyance and disappointment show when she realized he wasn't some stupid little magic carp constituted as flirting but her sisters always had been a little, shall we say . . . eccentric?

So in fact it seemed she had the know how to pull it off and the idea's to get her there, but she didn't think she had the will.

Or a plan for that matter.

All she knew was that before they got to the Pokemon Centre she would have to seriously get Brock's attention, even if that meant changing her whole image.

Even if it meant betraying her self and everything she stood for.

That was one thing she had promised she would never do.  She had decided once long ago that she would never pretend to be someone else just to impress a guy like her sisters had.  It was her belief that if a guy didn't like her for who she was then he just wasn't worth her time.

She promised she would never change for anyone or anything and now she was breaking that promise for five Irish seraphim (A/N: highest choir of angels) and some really catchy love ballads.

_'It's only pretend,'_ Misty reasoned to herself.  _'After I'm done I'll be back to the person I've always been and we can all act like all this never happened.  It's only a for a few days, nothing could possible go wrong.'_

If only that were true . . .

~ to be continued ~

Well I hope you all enjoyed that, please review and tell me what you think.  I really do love your feedback and I'll try my best to respond.


	2. Some Kind of Disguise

Disclaimer – I don't own Pokemon, I don't own anything.

Firstly, I want to thank you all for the excellent response.  I wasn't sure how well this story would fare considering that the Westlife thing but it seems to have managed all the same.

Now as for me, myself and i – well for starters your one to talk (me should have a capital and so should I) and secondly I fixed the summary.  I hope you're happy with it but I also feel that it's rather rude to criticise such a thing, in a summary you are given a limited amount of space to get in as much information as possible and hook readers into a story.  The reason I had 'r' and '&' was to fit more in, it was not laziness, and I put a 'grammatically correct' summary in the beginning of chapter one which you obviously must not have read.  Perhaps you should think about these things a bit more before criticizing the grammar of a summary or at least consider your own a bit more while reviewing.  Even my five-year-old cousin knows to make I a capital.

And now that I'm done bitching, a must for every story, enjoy!

Pretend to be Nice – Some Kind of Disguise

A few days later, a familiar trio of friends and their Pokemon companions walked through the beautiful lush forest just beyond the town of Sienna.

Ash, as usual walked ahead leading the way and Brock and Misty behind him following their fearless leader.

It seemed the only thing different today might be the stony look across Ash's usual cheery face and the look of pain that flashed through his eyes every now and then when he heard her laugh as if someone had just slapped him in the face.

Or maybe it was the way that Misty and Brock walked together, Misty laughing falsely every now and then at one of his corny jokes or pick up lines and pretending like she wouldn't rather be talking to Ash right now.

It seemed everyone had been in a rather grey mood since Misty had begun to set the foundations to pull off Jesse's little task.  

Everyone except Brock, of course.

Mr. No Eyes seemed to be rather ecstatic to say the least.  He had always considered Misty to be off limits because of Ash and the whole mutual love thing they had going on.  He was genuinely flattered and couldn't help but develop the tiniest little crush on the tempestuous redhead.

He couldn't be happier.  Finally someone had noticed him, and wanted him rather than Ash, it was something he had never expected to happen, especially when this someone was the one and only Misty Waterflower, but it wasn't like he was complaining.

Misty on the other had was simply wearing a mask of happiness, one that covered up her own inner turmoil of emotions as she simply flirted with Brock but wished it were Ash.  She laughed at the things Brock would say even though half the time she would rather slap him in the face.  She lightly tapped him on the shoulder and pretended to be slightly amused when he went too far even though she would rather give him a black eyes, kick him where it would really hurt and yell obscurities at him.

She giggled and flicked her hair and battered her eyelashes like some retarded twit as she resisted the urge to gag or tear the eyes out of the person she was pretending to be.

These last few days she hadn't even been able to look at her own reflection in the mirror.  She was just too disgusted with herself to look at the person she had become for a few measly tickets.

I guess what worried her most was whether she'd be able to go back to how it used to be once it was all over.  She was afraid that if she looked into a mirror she wouldn't recognize the person looking back at her.

Ash certainly didn't.

Ash was the one most overshadowed by the dark cloud that was absorbing himself and Misty.  He didn't hide the fact that he was in an awful mood and probably wouldn't have been able to even if he wanted to.

He had always been the sort to wear his heart on his sleeve and it was obvious right now that it was breaking in two.

All along he had thought that maybe he had at least the tiniest chance with her but now he knew the truth.  

She didn't want him.  She could never want him.  What would someone like Misty want with someone like him anyway?  He was 6 months younger than her.  All girls like Misty wanted these days was someone mature, someone older, someone who could deal with responsibilities.  

Someone like Brock.

She wouldn't want some Pokemon obsessed twerp like him.  He wasn't responsible or mature or romantic or smart or any of the things Brock was.  He was just himself and that wasn't enough for her, she deserved better.

He guessed all along that had been what she wanted: the older, wiser man somewhere in this world who would whisk her away with romantic words.  She wanted Brock.

He'd always known that someday Misty would find the man of her dreams and he would be left alone, but why did it have to be so soon?  Why did it have to be Brock?

He was such a player.  He would break her heart.  He was his best friend.

Ash could probably think of a million different reasons why he wished it wasn't Brock.

Brock wasn't good enough.  Brock wasn't this; Brock wasn't that, when really there was only one that really mattered.

_'It should've been me,'_ Ash thought to himself sadly as a tear fell from his pained dark amber eyes.  He wiped it away quickly before anybody else got the chance to see it and tried his hardest to keep looking straight ahead.

It was all he could think of as he caught glimpses of his two best friends from the corner of his eye pretending he wasn't watching them, pretending that he didn't care.

But how could he not care?

He was in love with her for god's sakes and this whole thing was simply killing him to see her with someone else.  The fact that this someone else just happened to be one of his oldest and most trusted friends just made it worse.

Pikachu looked on at the group of humans her own eyes reflecting her master's pain.

She had never really understood humans all that well, they were always so complicated especially with all the games they would play, but it was the emotions that threw her off so much.  She would spend long nights just trying to make sense of all these sensations that they held so sentimentally.

First there was the whole friendship thing.  That had been a hard concept to grasp but eventually it did click.  

Having friends was like having a family or pack, she supposed.  Everybody looked out for each other and they all cared for each other whether they showed it or not.  Pikachu had always seen it that in their pack Ash was the alpha male and Misty was his queen.

But friendship wasn't even the worst of it.  There was greed and lust, and jealousy and pride, and thousands of other emotions that these humans barely even had words for that tore at their souls like poisoned arrows.

It almost seemed like a waste.  The human's put so much value on these primitive emotions while she and her kind would suffice with only the basics of anger and happiness, she didn't see the point.

But that was until he learnt about love.

Misty had been the first one to tell her about love.  She held it at a higher esteem than she had seen any human hold anything.  She saw it like a precious gift given to an selected few that made all their other petty emotions look like trivial words.

She acted like it was the one thing that kept everything going.  As if without love the grass wouldn't grow, and the birds wouldn't sing and the world would simply stop turning on its axis.  Perhaps it would, but she hoped that her friends would never find out.

But it still didn't make sense.  No matter what, Misty would never give her an exact definition of love.  She would tell her about how it made the sun shine brighter, or her heart beat faster and many other things that made very little sense, but always she would avoid the direct question by telling her it was too hard to put into words.  That it simply was.

Pikachu didn't like words either.

The humans had so many different words and sounds; she wasn't sure how they would be able to get by with just repeating their own names in set patterns.  She couldn't see how a species that had that many different words simply to describe a tree could have so many things left to explain, left unsaid, that they simply couldn't find the words for.

So Pikachu went to Ash.  Ash had always been good at explaining things on terms that she could understand despite his inarticulateness at times.  He was the one who had come up with the idea of a pack in a first place.

"Typical girl," Ash had chuckled at her naïve curiosity as he stole a glance in Misty's direction when he was sure that no one was looking.  "Always on about romance," he added in a teasing tone.  "I suppose that's what I get for letting you hang around Misty so often."

Pikachu's ears had peaked at the way he had said Misty's names, almost in the same whimsical tone Misty used to describe love.  She was surprised she had never noticed it before, the sort of reverence you could say that filled his voice whenever she was brought up.

"So what's Myst been telling you?" Ash had then asked his tone suddenly becoming oddly hopeful.

Pikachu then went on to repeat everything Misty had told her as best she could.  It was hard for her to explain it with her lack of understanding but just saying the things a loud allowed things to become clearer in her own mind.

Ash chuckled once he had taken it all in shaking his head.  

"She's got it all wrong Pik," he replied warmly petting his prized Pokemon's head.  "Love isn't what makes the world go round, it's what makes the ride worthwhile."

Pikachu had further questioned him just like she had Misty looking for the answers, which would explain the concept that his two favourite humans spoke of so fondly.

Ash thought about it for a second before answering as best he could.

"It's like when I was little and my mom used to keep her light on at night, even though it would give her headaches when she tried to sleep so that I could find her room if I had a bad dream," he explained as he thought dotingly of his child hood.  "Or how my dad would eat these disgusting cinnamon cookies he simply despised every Christmas morning before I'd wake so that I'd know Santa Clause had been."

Pikachu looked thoughtfully at her master as she thought about these examples of love and began to make sense of things, but Ash wasn't finished.

"It's like waking up in the middle of the night," Ash continued his tone once again becoming whimsical, "and looking over to see her face.  And no matter what, you don't want to go back to sleep even though your eye lids are heavy and you can barely stay conscious because you know that your dreams will never be half as good as your reality as long as it's spent with her."

Ash shook his head as he was suddenly knocked out of his semi-consciousness.  "Being in love is like finding something worth dying for and knowing that it's the one thing that makes your life with living," he told Pikachu.  "It's having something that means so much to you that it's almost scary, so much that you would sacrifice your own life so that it would always be safe and yet somehow finding it to be the most amazing feeling in the world."

And it was at that point that Pikachu realized it.  Ash was in love with Misty and probably had been for some time.

She wondered why she had never seen it before that point, but I suppose she had never really understood love until then.  She'd always thought it just to be another of the silly emotions, but as Ash's words sunk in she realized it was so much more than that.

And the more she learnt about love the more she could see it in the world that surrounded.

It turned out there were two sorts of love in the human world.  There was the sort of love like that Ash shared for his mother and all his Pokemon.  And then there was the sort of love that he held for Misty.  The sort that made mountains crumble and birds sing.

If seemed that if Misty was right about love - if love truly was what made the world go round - then Ash's world had just stopped.

Pikachu turned her eyes on Misty trying her best to glare at the other human.

It just wasn't fair.  Couldn't she see what she was doing to Ash?  Didn't she know what he was going through?  Didn't she care that he was in love with her?

Perhaps she didn't know at all.

Maybe that was why she was doing this.

Pikachu shook her head in disgust.

She sighed.  No matter what she couldn't quite seem to let herself be angry at Misty.  There was just something in the water trainers eyes that made her wonder, that made her glare soften slightly with a sort of admiring pity, as if her heart knew something her mind was still trying to comprehend.

Perhaps that was a form of love, being able to see past the flaws of those close to you, to know that the person staring back at you isn't perfect, and yet to accept them for whom they were despite that.

Maybe that was what love was for Pokemon, being able to love their master and trust them completely even though they weren't the best, or the brightest, or the most handsome but because they were theirs.

Or maybe it was something completely different.

They say love is blind, but friendship closes it's eyes so for now Pikachu would look elsewhere.

~ to be continued ~

Ok, so what did you all think of that chapter?  Loved it?  Hated it?  Just glad that I didn't mention Westlife in there? 

Tell me what you think and I'll try to get the next chapter up ASAP, or near enough.


	3. Everything I Say

Disclaimer – I don't own Pokemon, if I did I'm sure someone would be very angry.

Ah, yes.  Now we start off this fic the same way as the last, with a message to my absolute favourite reviewer: me, myself and i.  Firstly, I noticed you still haven't got round to fixing that whole I thing and my computer is really upset by that considering that it is not only a grammatical mistake, but a spelling one too.  Secondly, if you are for some entirely unapparent reason still reading this story, could you please leave your email address in your next review so that I can berate you immediately instead of having to wait until my next update?  I mean, obviously you have nothing better to do than go around picking at other people's work, so why not do it over MSN so we can leave these lovely people to read the story?

And just so you know, I had a friend read over this to check my grammar and spelling just to make you happy so obviously any mistakes that you pick up must be universal.

Pretend to be Nice – Everything I Say

Ash woke up in the middle of the night with a start.

Cold sweat dripped from his forehead as he tried to grasp on to the last remnants of the awful nightmare that had awoken him from a once peaceful slumber, but it was already too late.  His thoughts had always drifted elsewhere.

He sat up slowly as his eyes remained trained on the sleeping figure beside him.

He wouldn't have been able to look away even if he had wanted to.  He never had before, but for the first time in his life he actually considered it because simply looking at her caused a dull ache in his heart that seemed to tear at his very soul.

It was obvious why.  I mean, I think I'd be a little upset if the one I loved was flirting with my best mate, wouldn't you?

But the nights didn't seem to be quite as bad as the days.  At night she would be asleep right next to him, as close to him as possible and as far away from Brock.

Her hair would be draped across her pillow like a fine halo of auburn light, and her pale cheeks would be slightly rosy from the night air.  Her lips would rest slightly open only moving ever so slightly now and then as she mumbled something in her sleep, and her chest would rise and fall rhythmically.

Sometimes she would shiver, or toss around throwing back her blanket and he would carefully pull the blanket back up to her shoulders or sacrifice his own warmth by offering her his own blanket simply content on her happiness.

And tonight was no different.

He sat up as he took in each and every detail of her like he had many times before memorizing the parts of her that only he knew.  He would scrutinize her carefully making sure that he never forgot any of her from the way her eyes would flutter silently as she dreamed to the way her skin felt against his own.

He turned his head to the sky as he noticed her stirring.  He couldn't let her know the countless nights he spent watching her simply so that he wouldn't have to worry that she would disappear before morning, he didn't want to think he was some kind of freak.

"Ash?" she asked softly her melodic voice gently laden with sleep.

"Hmm," he nodded thoughtfully as if he was afraid that speaking real words would cause her to fade away completely.

"Are you ok?" she asked wondering why he was awake at such an hour when they had several hours of walking to get through tomorrow.

He nodded again even though he knew she wouldn't be able to see much in the dark.  "Just thinking," he said simply.

Misty let out a soft sigh of relief.  It was like an entire weight off her shoulders to know that he was ok.

It was the way things had always been.  Ash's safety had always been more important that her own and she didn't think she'd ever get used to that fact.  She stopped counting the many times she'd been scared beyond comprehension that he was in danger of some kind when she was around to keep him in check.

I guess that was just one of the many sacrifices that were made for love, when you would instantly sacrifice your own well being for theirs without a second thought.

But then, in Misty's eyes it had never really been a sacrifice merely a gift from her to the one she loved because it was the only thing she had that she deemed to be worthy of him.

She could think of countless times when she had done exactly that without a thought for anything but his safety.  And she knew that she would do the same in a heartbeat, that's just how much he meant to her.

She quickly cast her gaze to the sky as she realised she had been staring at him.  Suddenly, she was actually thankful for the darkness of night's blanket, it was an instant cover for the not so faint blush that was cast across her pale cheeks.

"When I was little I used to know every constellation in the night sky," Misty sighed as she looked up at the stars breaking the silence between them.

"Did you forget them?" Ash asked turning his head slightly so he could see her more clearly rather than his sidelong glances.

Misty shrugged.  "I guess I'm out of practice."

"It's like riding a bike," Ash told her with a smile.  "You never really forget."

"And you would know about bikes wouldn't you Mr. Bike-Wrecker?"

Ash just smiled innocently in response and chuckled nervously before desperately trying to change the subject.  "That's Cassiopeia," he told her as he reached up his hand and pointed to several stars in a sort of cluster.

"Where?" Misty asked, her eyes searching for the group of stars he was pointing to.

"Here," he said as he nimbly moved his sleeping bag even closer to hers so that there was nothing between them but the insulated fabric.  He lifted his head onto her pillow so he saw what she saw then took her hand in his and lifted it gently so that it pointed to the spot he had pointed out before.

"It's beautiful," Misty sighed wistfully as she stared up at the many glowing balls of gas that formed the constellation, amazed at the sheer brilliance of something so simple and the serenity of that moment.

"She would be happy to hear you say that," Ash told her with a chuckle as he remembered the legend.

Misty nodded, barely listening.  She was so caught up in everything else, the stars beauty, her heart thumping in her chest and Ash's scent engulfing her in contentedness.  She couldn't focus on anything else but him and she didn't seem to mind at all.

"My mom once told me that the stars were made from hope," she whispered dreamily as she looked at the sky.  "That it was our hopes, our dreams, our courage that kept them alive and love that made the burn so brightly."

"She was a very clever woman," he replied simply as he looked up at the star-studded night sky burning just for them.

"She would have liked you," Misty continued yawning tiredly as she curled into Ash's chest.

"Really?" he asked, his voice strained with surprise from her actions.

Misty nodded against his chest closing her eyes and making herself comfortable on her human pillow.  "She'd know and that would be enough."

"Know what?" he asked anxiously but it was already too late, Misty had already drifted off to sleep and it was obvious he wouldn't be getting his answer any time soon.

"Goodnight Misty," he sighed tiredly as he closed his eyes even though he knew that he wouldn't be sleeping tonight.  It was going to be a very long night and as far as he knew the day wasn't going to be much better.

There was no getting around tomorrow – that much was clear.  All he could really hope to do was delay it and keep hoping that maybe the sun would be on his side and chose not to rise.

Misty smiled in her sleep as she felt the warm morning rays beating against her closed lids and inviting her to awake from the land of dreams.

Her smile widened as she thought about the reality she had endured last night watching stars in his arms.  She couldn't think of anything more perfect, more serene.  Perhaps that was why she had fallen asleep in his embrace.

She opened her eyes slowly anxiously awaiting the sight of his warm chocolate eyes staring fondly into her own aquamarine.  Or maybe she would see long black lashes and lightly tanned lids fluttering up and down as he too awoke from sleep wondering too if maybe he was still dreaming.

Instead she saw nothing.  When she finally opened her eyes, Ash was nowhere to be found.

She began to wonder if maybe it had all been a dream.  I mean, the events seemed so surreal now that she thought about it; the scene was too perfect; the sky too clear; the stars too brilliant.  The only thing that remained as usual was Ash, but that neither confirmed nor denied her suspicions for he was always perfect.

Misty sighed as she sat up in her sleeping bag, her mood now spoiled by the lack of appearance of her best friend and the realisation that the wonderful evening she had shared with him probably didn't even exist.  It was just about enough to dampen any girl's mood, especially one who just happened to be in love with said best friend.

"Where's Ash?" she asked in a forced nonchalant tone and smile as she noticed Brock sitting on a nearby log carefully mixing several ingredients in a bowl.

"He's just gone to get some more wood for the fire," Brock explained not looking up from his mixture.  "I thought I'd make some pancakes so we could get to the Pokemon Centre by this afternoon.'

Misty's smile faltered if only for a moment.  She had almost forgotten all about the terrible plot Jesse had set against her and the task she would have to perform once she got to the Pokemon Centre.

And it was then that it hit her, how stupid this whole entire ordeal really was.  It just wasn't worth it anymore.  It wasn't worth the pain she was inflicting on herself and her two best friends and it was time that she did something about it.

She sighed as she took a seat next to Brock on a dead tree stump as she finally let her façade slip.  _'And this is only just the beginning,'_ she thought to herself as she prepared herself for what she was about to do.

"Brock, I need to be totally honest to you about something," she began sadly, "and after I say this you are really going to hate me and I know nothing will ever say how sorry I am so . . ."

She trailed off and took a deep breath as she thought about what she had to say and the best way to let him down easy.  Brock had been rejected more times than anyone should be and she hated to be just another of those girls on a long list of callous sluts.

"Look, these past few days I've been leading you on and pretending to have feelings for you that I don't have, that I couldn't have because I'm in love with somebody else.  It was all just part of a dare set up in order to prove that I deserved the Westlife tickets and in the process of it all I managed to hurt you and I hurt Ash and I should have know better but I didn't and I should have done something but I was so stupid and I . . ."

Misty continued to ramble on as Brock sat patiently listening to every word she said until she caught her self and instead began to apologise profusely as best she could.

"Misty can I cut in here?" he suggested finally speaking and in the act of it cutting off Misty's rambled 'I'm sorry for all the evil things I've done' speech.  Misty nodded and Brock continued.  

"I know Misty, Jesse told me yesterday," he said seriously.  "And she said that if you do exactly what you've just done that I should give you these and forgive you because you just did the bravest and most honourable thing she could ever take credit for."

She looked at Brock for a few seconds happy to find nothing but sincerity in his half-closed eyes before looking down at what he had passed to her.  Her eyes widened with shock and reverence, for in her hands were two tickets to the Westlife concert and all the bonuses that went with it.

"Brock, but what about . . ."

Once again Brock cut her off.  "I think I kind of agree with her and I'm glad you figured it out on your own how stupid this whole thing was.  It took some guts to even consider pulling this thing off but even more to admit that you were wrong and do the right thing."

"Thanks Brock," she said smiling honestly as she stood up and gave him a light hug.  "Now all I need to do is find Ash and finally all this mess will be sorted out."

"I don't think so Misty," a cold, harsh voice replied from behind her.

Misty recognized the voice straight away, how could she possibly even forget it?  It was one that constantly sent chills down her spine, just as it did now, however, these were not the usual pleasant kind, just as his tone was not the good-humoured one she had become accustomed to love.

"Ash," she said quietly as she turned to face him.  The look in his eyes consumed her making her feel as tiny and insignificant as a grain of sand.  She hated herself more than anyone could ever possibly imagine at that moment.

For a while they both just stood there without words searching for something in their eyes that would make everything all right again but at the same time hiding their true feelings from one another.  Misty's eyes pleaded with him, begging him to forgive her but he only glared in response until finally casting his eyes away in disgust for the girl she had become.

He just couldn't look at her right now.  No matter how much he loved her, looking at her right now simply killed him inside and the pain wasn't worth it anymore.  For the very first time in his life, he actually had the ability to look away and he did.

Every inch of him seemed to be pulling him in all sorts of directions, tearing him apart inside, but compared to everything else it wasn't so bad.  It was as if his worst fear had come true, she loved somebody else and had deceived them all in the meantime.

"Ash . . . please I . . ." she began but she was cut off by another glare.

"There's nothing left to say Misty," he said sadly.  "Let's just leave it at that before we end up saying things we'll regret."

With that he turned and began to pack up his things with a sense of urgency.  He had to leave; he had to go now before he ended up doing something stupid like telling her he loved which would lead him absolutely nowhere.  

There was no point, he was already heartbroken, the least she could do was let him leave with his dignity still intact.  Even if that meant just walking on by while tears stained her porcelain cheeks.  

Even if that meant leaving his two best friends, and more importantly, the only girl he could ever love, for good.

He smiled woefully as he turned to bid one last goodbye, memorizing the face he knew he would never have the luxury of seeing again, except for in his dreams.  He was going to miss her, but it was better this way even though he hated to admit it.

And with that he was gone and two hearts were broken so badly that I fear they could never be repaired; all this over a stupid little bet that never should have come into existence.

~ to be continued ~

So how was that chapter?  I'm sorry it took so long, I've just had so much to do with school and all that I haven't had time to do this and I really wanted to make sure the grammar was just right.

Anyway, I'm going to try and get the next chapter up a lot sooner and I hope you all enjoyed it.


	4. Can't Take It No More

Disclaimer – I don't own Pokemon.  What I do own is so insignificantly small that it isn't worth mentioning here so we'll just leave it at that.

Pretend to be Nice – Can't Take It No More

_Dear Ash,_

_If you're reading this letter, then I know there is still a chance for me yet, and even though I'm sure you never want to see me again – all things considered I don't particularly want to see me much either – I need you to understand something before you're out of my life for good._

_Firstly, you should know that this is entirely my fault and because of that nobody else should be blamed for my stupidity and the mistakes I have made because of it.  Please don't take it out on Brock and end your friendship because of this; he was only a pawn in this twisted little game of cat and mouse._

_In the same way the blame can't be shifted to Jesse.  For starters, unlike me she tried to fix her mistake before it got out of control and in all honesty she was only trying to help; but most importantly it was my choice.  I could have chosen to back out at any stage.  I could have said no, but I didn't and because of that I might have just lost my best friend for good._

_As you must know, I'm an awful person and what I did must disgust you beyond reason – truth to be told, I disgust myself even more so.  What I did was an unforgivable act and nobody should be treated and used like I did you and Brock.  It was no way to treat a friend and nothing could possibly compensate for that; not even Westlife tickets._

_You probably already noticed the tickets enclosed with this letter.  They're yours.  I've been a lousy friend and pretty much a sorry excuse for just about anything, and in spite of everything that I went through in order to get them, I just don't deserve them or your forgiveness._

_But I'm going to ask you to forgive me anyway because before I conclude this letter there's just one last thing I've got to get off my chest.  I love you Ash Ketchum, and being away from you for even a second kills me inside.  And if you felt even the tiniest shard of what I feel for you then you would meet me outside the concert hall tomorrow night and let me make things up to you as best I can._

_If there's one thing that you can be certain of in all the lies that I built up around this confusion it is that I love you Ash, and it is only now that I have nothing left to lose – when I have already lost the thing dearest to me in all the world – that I can finally admit it to you._

_With all my love, and all my soul,_

_Misty Kasumi Waterflower_

A lone tear escaped quickly almost with a mind of it's own falling down onto the paper and causing the ink to run where it hit.  After that more tears followed almost as if a barrier had been broken setting them all free of their confines in the aquamarine eyes of the letters inconsolable author.

She screwed up the paper and wiped her tears, throwing the letter towards the rubbish bin where it landed in a small pile along with the rest of her previous letters.  It was ruined now, the letters had been smudged and she didn't expect anything but perfection for him.

That and she didn't want him to know that she had been crying.  Her whole life she had made people believe that she was strong and that nothing could hurt her – that she was invincible - but he had hurt her because the truth was, that he was the only one who could ever hurt her.

Misty sighed woefully as she carefully smoothed out another piece of paper and began to write once again.  She no longer needed a draft to follow, she had memorized each one off by heart and she knew exactly what to say.  All the words, all the thoughts she needed to portray to him were engraved within her heart to a part of her that would be forever his.

She blinked back tears so as not to ruin another perfectly good letter.  She hoped that this one would be it; she didn't think she could stand it if she had to write another.

Every time she put it all into words, she ended up reliving all the pain all over again.  In hindsight it all seemed to be magnified and she constantly wished she had been born with the rare ability to kick herself in the butt.

God, why had she done it?  Why hadn't she said no when she was given the chance?

It seemed so obvious now, she should have known earlier what sort of consequences would stem from such a decision.  Ash would never trust her again and she really doubted that Brock had much respect in her despite what he said about guts and all.

She hated herself so much right now.  She wouldn't have been surprised if everyone hated her right now.  She didn't deserve to be loved by anyone; especially not him and she just wished everybody would stop being so goddamn sympathetic.

The tears began to well in her eyes once again as she gracefully signed her name at the bottom of the page.  As quickly as she could she folded up the letter and slipped it into the envelope before it was damaged just like so many others had been.

_'This is it,'_ she thought to herself.  _'There's no turning back.'_

She carefully sealed the enveloped containing her precious cargo confirming once again that this was it.  She wrote out his full name in the same delicate cursive she had always used and drew a quick sketch of a Horsea in one corner.  

Ash would immediately recognize the handwriting, she knew that much; and because of that he may not open the letter but it was a chance she had to take.  If she didn't even try to work things out with him all she would be left with would be regret and she already had enough of that to last her a lifetime.

She didn't even have his friendship anymore; it was lost to her just as he was.  It seemed that all she was hanging onto right now was the slim hope that he would give her another chance at what she had so severely botched up.

Misty took a deep breath as she slipped out of her room and into the corridor heading for the room number that Nurse Joy had been so kind as to supply.  Lucky for her, Ash had continued on his way to the Pokemon Centre they had planned to stay in and was doing just that.  If he hadn't she would have been worse off than she was now.

She poised her hand ready to knock on the door but quickly thought the better of it.  She knew exactly how that one would play out.  She would knock.  He would ask "who is it?" and her breath would catch in her throat before answering "Misty" as best she could.  After that things would be hopeless.

Instead she bent over and slipped the pearly white enveloped under the door and turned to walk away before he decided to investigate his visitor or whatever it was he would do.

It was better this way.  At least this way she could hold onto her hope and keep pretending that things would turn out for the best in the end. 

But there was still a part of her that thought it knew better than to hang onto the flimsy strand of hope she willed herself to grasp.  It was the part of her that kept replaying the hatred in his chocolate brown eyes, the part that kept reminding her of the icy anger in his voice.

It was the so-called 'logical' part of her that always held her back; that always thought it knew better.  It was the part that had given up, the part that had never truly believed to begin with.

But Misty had stopped listening.

"It's not fair!" he cried out mournfully.

"Now James, dear," Jesse replied trying desperately to reason with her oddly distraught husband.  "We did our best."

They had just got the news.  Yet another of their beautifully crafted 'Rocket Schemes' had failed.

This was probably worse than all of their other failures put together because they weren't the ones suffering the consequences of their failure.  They had wanted so badly for this plan to work, well actually to work itself out but it was useless.

"But the tickets!" James cried out now in distress.  "The beautiful tickets!  Oh the beautiful tickets!  What a waste?  Oh, what a waste?  Those beautiful tickets, gone to waste, lost forever!"

"James," Jesse said in a calm yet commanding tone that made him stop his mad rambles.  He turned to her with a questioning look and she let out a single word in the same tone, "breath."

James did as he was told as she paced across the room in deep thought.

"Now we've got to think positively," she said pointedly as she walked past him.  "Remember it's not over till the fat lady sings.  There's still a chance things will work out for the best.

"Squinty eyes said Misty gave him the tickets . . ."

"No!" James cried.  "Now they really are wasted.  Why me?  Oh why me?  Now I'll never see them again.  Oh Shane!  Oh Kian! Oh Brian and Nicky and Mark!"

"Pull yourself together damn it!" she instructed.  "There are more important matters at hand than some dumb ticket James.  They're not even that great a band!"

James gasped loudly and let his jaw drop open.  "You didn't just say that?" he asked desperately.  "Please tell me you didn't just say that."

"Look James, I'm sorry alright," she explained dropping exasperatedly to the couch beside him.  "I guess I'm just really stressed about this.  Everything is just so messed up and I can't help but think that a tiny little bit of it just might be my fault."

"You think?"

Jesse turned to him with her eyes ablaze making him huddle back in fear.  He sighed as he realized it was a definite hint for him to do the husband-y thing.  To be compassionate, understanding and basically lie to her face.

"Jesse," he said calmly in a sensible tone that really just wasn't meant to be in the same room as those two, "you can't tear yourself up inside about this.  What's done is done and there really isn't anybody to blame.  All we can do is hope for the best and pray that somebody will knock some sense into the twerps thick little head before it's too late."

"Thank you," she said as she gave him a quick kiss and got up to leave the room.  "By the way," she added almost as an after thought, "you're sleeping on the couch tonight."

"Why can't I just keep my big mouth shut?" he muttered with a sigh as he slouched back into what was to be his bed for the night.  "And they are a good band!"

Ash stared up at the ceiling as though it were the most interesting thing in his single bedroom at the Pokemon Centre.

He hated the room and everything about it with every fibre in his being.  And it wasn't just his regular indiscriminate hating of rooms because they made him felt trapped and separated from the outside world, no this room was particularly loathe worthy.

For starters, it was a lot smaller than the rooms he was used to staying in which made him feel even more like a caged animal.  But most importantly, it's single-bed-ness merely continued to remind him of what he had lost.  To taunt him with his naïve idiocy and whatever inanity had led him to believe that she could ever love him.

Emotions raged within him like an ocean . . . no, not an ocean.  Anything but an ocean.  An ocean only continued to remind him, to taunt him, to mock him, to pity him and tease him.

She was like an ocean.  Wild and free and completely overpowering . . . no, he had to stop thinking like that.  He had to forget her.  He just had to forget . . .

Or the ocean below maidens peak . . . the first time he realized how beautiful she was.  He remembered everything about her from the way her hair fell around her face framing it in all her beauty to the way the moonlight caught her eyes making them sparkle so brightly that all the stars seemed to dim in comparison.  It was such a beautiful night . . .

And the ocean that surrounded all of the Orange Islands, where they had travelled together.  Where they had become so close it seemed as though there souls would be forever intertwined.  How wrong could he have been?

Shamouti Island.  There she had saved him from the raging sea, from another ocean.  She had risked her own life for his, but it wasn't the first time . . .

Water.  She was water.  Ocean.  Sea.  River.  Lake.  Stream.  Waterfall . . .

She saved his life.  The Gym.  Cascade.  Starmie.  Psyduck.  Staryu.  A Battle.  Swimming.  Water ballet.  Grace.  Beauty.  Strength.  Aquamarine, eyes the colour of the sea.  Eyes he could never forget.  Eyes he loved. 

A smile . . . 

A tear . . . 

Goodbye . . .

It was out of control.  He just couldn't stop thinking about her.  Everything just reminded him of her.  It was like every time he thought he could forget another memory just came along to show him otherwise.

He couldn't think; he couldn't sleep; he couldn't eat.  He couldn't breath without her and that was probably what scared him the most.

Damn it, why hadn't he been able to catch himself?  He'd known he was falling for her, or at least part of him did, the rest wasn't' quite read to admit it.  Why couldn't he have stopped it?  Why did it have to be her?  Why couldn't it be someone else, anyone else?

But how could you not fall in love with her?  She was smart, beautiful, assertive, honest, caring, outgoing, adventurous, funny . . .

_'STOP IT!'_ he yelled in his mind making all thoughts of her come to a halt.

It was all so impossible.  He couldn't stop thinking about her, not even for a second no matter how hard he tried.

And he could sense her too.  He could feel her presence no matter where he went.  It was like something in his mind clicked into place making him feel more at ease and letting him know she was just beyond his door.

It was as if every memory he had, had come together to hold onto the image of her he kept in his heart.  He wasn't even sure if what he felt was real, but it seemed real enough to him.

Like the remnants of a dream he could smell her, feel her, hear her almost as though she was still with him now.  It seemed to all call out to him reaching to him through the terrors of reality, comforting him in his heartache.

Her rich scent surrounded him, enveloping him in a warm blanket of content.  He breathed in deeply, savouring each breath as if it were his last.  He smiled to himself; she was like spring only for eternity, never ending, always fresh, always beautiful.

Her footsteps along the hallway lulled him to sleep like a lullaby.  The gentle footfalls padded gracefully against the hardwood floors of the deep abysses of his mind seeming more like some incredible dance than the mere act of walking.

But it was more than just that.  He just knew she was there, that she was more than just a dream or figment of a cruel imagination.  It was some indescribable sentiment that stirred up emotions and images and sounds and smells and tastes and textures which only served to give his mind more proof of something his heart had known all along; there was no getting over Misty Waterflower.

He let out a sad sigh as the conclusion sunk in, taunting him incessantly just as every other thought that had crossed his mind in the past 36 hours had.  In short, he was screwed.

His melancholy thoughts were soon interrupted, though, by a scuff of paper against the floor quickly followed by those familiar footfalls.  But he would have known the identity of the letters sender even without them.  Heck, he would have recognized it even without the delicate handwriting spelling out his name.

It was that feeling again.  He just knew.

He turned the letter over in his hands debating whether or not he wanted to read it; whether or not he really wanted to rehash the same heartache he had felt the previous morning.

Finally he sighed and put the letter to one side.

_'Maybe later,'_ he thought sadly to himself as he stared at the dark clouds outside reflecting his mood.  I guess he just wasn't ready to face the truth yet no matter what it had to say.

to be continued 

Hope you enjoyed that chapter.  Somehow I managed to get this one up sooner which is a huge shock to me so I hope you all appreciate it.

Only one more chapter left to go and for those of you who want to know, I am trying to work on 'Angels' but it may be a while till the next update.

Review.


	5. Driving Me OUt

Disclaimer – I do not, and never will own a lot of things in my life and Pokemon just happens to be one of those things.

Pretend to be Nice – Driving Me Out

Misty glanced around hopefully praying she would catch even a glimpse of Westlife. 

At least, that's what her mind liked to believe.  The truth of the matter was that she was looking for Ash, waiting for him to appear and lift her off her feet in a loving embrace just like every dream she had ever had in the last eight years.

"Are you going in, Miss?" a stout old man with greying hair and a face lined with kindness and hardship asked in a pleasant voice.  By the looks of him Misty presumed he was some kind of guard or usher for the concert.

"Maybe," she replied automatically, distracted by the kindness and concern in his voice.  "I mean," she began, catching herself before she related to him her whole life story, "I'm waiting for someone."

"Ok miss," the grandpa like guard, who reminded her very much of her own grandfather or Santa, replied almost sceptically, "but whoever he is he better get here soon or you'll miss the first set.  It's not right to keep a young lady waiting."

"I'll tell him that," she replied before the guard walked away with a fake smile on her face.  She turned her back and let the smile drop off her face the moment he was far enough away.

Part of her was relieved to have him gone.  If she'd spoken to him any longer she probably would have ended up telling him all about Ash and cried on his shoulder, but on the other hand it was nice to have someone else there to talk to.

She felt so alone out there, with nobody to comfort her ten minutes later when the band began to play and tears pricked at the back of her eyes.

_'He's not coming,'_ her mind taunted.  _'He hates you.  He doesn't care.'_

The crowed began to roar loudly from within the Indigo Plataux Arena.  Westlife had arrived and people were going crazy with adoration.

It was the hugest arena in the whole of Kanto and it held so many familiar memories to Misty.  It was where Ash had competed in his first league and also where he had won one of his first leagues.  It was where the ceremony was held to commemorate Ash on receiving his first Master's title.

It was where she had first admitted that she was in love with him.

Inside the noise of the crowd was beginning to dull down and she could hear the opening bars to a familiar love ballad began to play.

She smiled slightly and sang along quietly to what was probably one of her absolute favourite Westlife songs.  She closed her eyes, picturing herself inside, wishing she could be in there sitting in her perfect seats and savouring every second.  And then she immediately felt guilty and the smile faded from her face.

"Bad Misty," she scolded herself.  _'No singing.  No wishing.  You're a bad friend and you don't deserve to be there.'_

She sighed, hit by the irony of it all.

Inside, beyond those cold stone walls that denied her entrance, they were playing her favourite song.  It was a song that described perfectly her situation right now.

She sighed.

She was going to have to face facts.  Ash wasn't going to come, he didn't feel the same and he didn't care.

Her heart broke.  It hurt more than she had ever imagined it would, but then she had always hoped she would never have to feel this kind of pain; that Ash would never hurt her.

But the truth of the matter was that he was the only one that could hurt her and even if he didn't know it, this seperation was killing her right now in a way she could barely understand.

She was so sure he was her soul mate; that they were destined to be together but I guess she was wrong because soul mates required love and how could Ash ever love her?

And with each second that passed by her heart broke just a little bit more . . .

And then it happened.

_It doesn't take much to learn_

_When the bridges that you burn_

_Leave you stranded feeling alone_

_It doesn't take much to cry_

_When you're living in a lie_

_And deceiving that someone who cares_

_And if I could turn back the time_

_I would put you first in my life_

_And I _

_Would risk it for you_

_To prove my love is true_

_I build a wall around my heart_

_That would only break apart _

_For you_

_Can change the way I feel_

_So tell me what's the deal_

_Don't say_

_Don't say it's too late_

_And now_

_The hills are getting hard to climb_

_I'm running out of time_

_My decisions are pending on you_

_I will accept the blame_

_For burning out the flame_

_Hoping the story will twist once again_

_And if I could turn back the time_

_I would put you first in my life_

_And I _

_Would risk it for you_

_To prove my love is true_

_I build a wall around my heart_

_That would only break apart _

_For you_

_Can change the way I feel_

_So tell me what's the deal_

_Don't say_

_Don't say it's too late_

_Now I'm laying it all on the line_

_For you_

_And I _

_Would risk it for you_

_To prove my love is true_

_I build a wall around my heart_

_That would only break apart _

_For you_

_Can change the way I feel_

_So tell me what's the deal_

_Don't say_

_Don't say it's too late_

_And I _

_Would risk it for you_

_To prove my love is true_

_I build a wall around my heart_

_That would only break apart _

_For you_

_Can change the way I feel_

_So tell me what's the deal_

_Don't say_

_Don't say it's too late_

_Don't say_

_Don't say it's too late_

_(Westlife 'Don't Say It's Too Late')_

It didn't make sense.  It was completely wrong.  This wasn't the way things were supposed to go.

It was supposed to be the other way round.  It was supposed to be her.  She was the one. 

(A/N: I really considered stopping it right here and leaving it up to your imaginations to decide what was so wrong but that would be mean and seeing as I'm in a generous mood today I will continued . . . for now.  Mwahahahahahhahaha!)

She was the one who had done all the awful things.  She was the one who had screwed up, the one who had put some stupid boyband (A/N: so don't mean that) before their friendship.  She was the one who had compromised everything for something so trivial.

She was the one who was supposed to be apologising!

Misty took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves before she tried to speak.  "Wh-why are you apologising?" she asked anxiously surprised he was even talking to her at all.

"Because I was late," he replied calmly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  As if the last few days just hadn't happed and everything was just the same as it had always been and should be.

"But what I did . . ." she began but Ash cut her off with a flick of his hand before she could get the words out.

"I could never stay angry at you Misty, no matter how hard I try," he explained as he looked sincerely into her eyes.  "I guess I just love you too much.  You mean the world to me and I couldn't stand . . ."

It was Misty's turn to cut him off, but not with a gesture.  Overcome with joy Misty had allowed her self to run into his arms and kissed him with all the longing and love she had kept inside for far too long.

It was the most amazing kiss known to man.  A kiss born of a love truer than any of us could ever imagine.  It was like every dream come true, every wish made reality.  It was like fireworks and shooting stars and oceans and warm sunshine and spring and chocolate and silk.  It enhanced every sense, making their hearts beat faster and their skin prickle with electricity.  It was perfect.

When they pulled away Ash was speechless. 

Misty smiled shyly making his heart beat even faster, if that was even possible.  She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek as she whispered in his ear the words he had longed to hear for so long, the words he still didn't quite believe in spite of the fact that he had read them about one hundred times in her letter.

"I love you too, Ash," she whispered lovingly in his ear.

Ash's own smile widened a she kissed him again, a kiss even greater than the first.  He didn't think he ever wanted to stop kissing her, but of course breathing came into play and he was forced to pull away.

"Shall we go in?" he suggested to which Misty nodded and entwined her fingers with his.

They walked hand and hand towards that same old guard from before who smiled kindly at them while he took the tickets from Ash.

"Is this him?" he asked.

Misty smiled and nodded.

"He worth the wait?"

Misty nodded again as she looked towards Ash.  "Yeah, he is."  Ash kissed her cheek lightly and led her into the concert.

And this was the beginning of something beautiful, or better still something magical.  This was the beginning of Ash and Misty, of a love that will span across lifetimes, and continents and galaxies and will survive whatever life (or insane an author) throws at it.

For this is a love truer than any other that could possibly exist.  A love so strong it will withstand time and heartache and nothing will ever break it.

There's something that can be said for love, it's true to every word spoken about it.  It moves mountains, it makes buildings crumble in its path, it makes oceans part.  It's worth being brave for, fighting for, dying for.  It's worth risking everything for and I guess the thing that matters the most is that if you don't risk everything for it, then you risk even more.

The End

So, I hope you all enjoyed 'Pretend to be Nice'.  Hopefully now that I've got that out of my system I can get back to 'On Angels Wings'.

Please review.


End file.
